This 10th annual FREE fair provides resources and information from several County agencies and community organizations, including the Arlington Parent-Infant Education (PIE) Program, Arlington Project Family, APS Parent Resource Center, Northern Virginia Family Service, Arlington Department of Parks & Recreation Therapeutic Recreation, Virginia Cooperative Extension and others. The goal of the Child Development Resource Fair is to strengthen and support Arlington families and caregivers of young children, to enable parents and providers to network with others, and to provide resources and information for meeting the needs of young children. You can REGISTER HERE. Walk in registration welcome on the day of the event pending space availability.
Schedule of Events
| Time | Activity |
| 8:30-11:15 a.m. | Registration and Resource Fair Open |
| 9:15-10:00 a.m. | Workshops-Select one:
#1A Escuchar con Amor: Escuchar, Comprender, y Reconocer (offered in Spanish) #2A Come Play with Us! #3A What to Expect and Who to Call if You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Behavior #4A Making Books Come Alive! #5A Encouraging Language Through Play |
| 10:15-11:00 a.m. | Workshops-Select one:
#1B LUV Listening (Listen, Understand, Validate) #2B Meriendas Saludables (offered in Spanish) #3B What to Expect and Who to Call if You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Behavior #4B Staying Calm When Your Child Isn’t #5B Encouraging Language Through Play |
| 11:15.m. -12 noon | Workshops-Select one:
#1C What to Expect When You Start Preschool #2C Nutrition: Eating and Family Relationships #3C Challenging Conversations #4C Making Books Come Alive #5C Fomentar el lenguaje através del (offered in Spanish) |
| 12:00-12:15 p.m. | Wrap Up |
Come for all or part of the event! Coffee and light refreshments provided, compliments of Arlington Special Education Parent-Teacher Association (SEPTA)
Event is held at the Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road.
Workshop Descriptions
9:15-10:00 a.m. Select one workshop:
1A: Escuchar con AMoR (escuchAr, coMprender, y Reconocer) es una forma de escuchar con nuestros oídos, ojos, y el corazon. En esta sesión se compartirán estrategias simples para los padres y todos adultos de mejorar nuestra capacidad de escuchar y fortalecer la relación con nuestros hijos. ( Ofrecido en español.) Presenter: Michael Swisher, Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families
2A: Come Play with Us! Get ideas on activities and programs in Arlington for young children. Carly Moser, Department of Parks and Recreation, Creative Preschoolers Program
3A: What to Expect and Who to Call if You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Behavior. This Learn typical developmental milestones from birth to five years old including information on behaviors that may indicate a need for intervention. Participants will leave the session with a short list of referrals to contact should they be concerned about their young child. Linda Peebles, Parent-Infant Education Program
4A: Making Books Come Alive. Learn ways to make reading fun and interactive for your child. Jayla Parks, Children’s Librarian, Columbia Pike Library
5A: Encouraging Language Through Play. Learn strategies to help young child develop their language skills while playing. Northern Virginia Family Services
10:15-11:00 a.m. Select one workshop
1B: LUV Listening (Listen, Understand, Validate) Gain simple strategies for parents and all adults who care about kids, to help us listen to children with our ears, eyes, and heart. The better we are at listening to our children, the stronger our relationship will be. Michael Swisher, Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families
2B: Meriendas Saludables: un discourso de como ayudar a los niños comer meriendas saludables (ofrecido en español). Mary Wulf, Healthy Communities Action Team
3B: What to Expect and Who to Call if You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Behavior This Learn typical developmental milestones from birth to five years old including information on behaviors that may indicate a need for intervention. Participants will leave the session with a short list of referrals to contact should they be concerned about their young child. Linda Peebles, Parent-Infant Education Program
4B: Staying Calm When Your Child Isn’t. This workshop will provide information about challenges within the parent/child relationships. Parents will learn strategies to manage their own emotions when children are struggling to manage their big feelings (tantrums, hitting, whining, etc). Leah Davidson, Parent-Infant Education Program
5B: Encouraging Language Through Play. Learn strategies to help young child develop their language skills while playing. Northern Virginia Family Service
11:15 a.m.-12:00 noon-Select one workshop
1C: What to Expect when You Start Preschool .Gain information to make preschool a great experience for your child, you, and the teacher. Martha Galeano, Radia Smail, Meski Gebrekidan, Project Family
2C: Nutrition: Eating and Family Relationships Learn the importance of creating a happy and healthy relationship with food for new and fragile eaters, including discussion of the different roles of the parent & child during mealtimes. Learn why it is crucial to help children build a positive relationship with food in a child-directed way. Jamie Hinchey, MS, CCC-SLP (Feeding Therapist/Speech Therapist) and Ashley Glasser, MS, OTR/L (Occupational Therapist), Spectrum Pediatrics
3C: Challenging Conversations—A facilitated discussion of the best ways to approach conversations about your child that may be challenging as a teacher or parent. Panel discussion
4C: Making Books Come Alive. Learn ways to make reading fun and interactive for your child. Jayla Parks, Children’s Librarian, Columbia Pike Library
5C: Fomentar el lenguaje através del juego. Aprenda estrategias para apoyar el desarrollo del lenguaje de los niños através del juego. Northern Virginia Family Services
REGISTER for Your Child’s Development
This event is FREE! Advance registration is requested. Walk-ins are welcome on a space-available basis. There are 3 ways to register:
REGISTER HERE online
By phone at 703/228-7239
By email to emma.parralsanchez@apsva.us
Exhibitor Area
Visit the following Exhibitors at Your Child’s Development 2018:
Achieve Beyond: Pediatric Therapy
Arlington County Community Health Services Bureau
Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation Therapeutic Recreation
Arlington County Parent-Infant Education (PIE) Program
Arlington County Police Department, Child Safety Seat Inspections
Arlington County Project Family
Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)
Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families
Early Start Therapy
Formed Families Forward
Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS)-Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Head Start
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) of Northern Virginia
Special Education Parent Resource Center, Arlington Public Schools
Spectrum Pediatrics
Therapy Associates
(As of 2/20/18. Additional Exhibitors to be added)